Raheem DeVaughn @ the Pageant — 2008.05.31

When Raheem DeVaughn strides out into the spotlight, there's no mistaking one simple fact: this man is a born entertainer. And as such, he knows how to satisfy a crowd.

After a powerful performance by Solange Knowles, Raheem hit hard right out of the gates, going big in his own unique brand of R&B and Neo-Soul.

While backed by a full band, the self-described “R&B hippie neo-soul rock star” put on a one-man show and seemed to save nothing for the finale.

In the first two songs alone, the singer criss-crossed the stage a half dozen times, serenaded an individual member of the audience, and dropped to his knees in a dramatic crescendo of showmanship – all without breaking a sweat.

Having photographed Raheem before in his performance opening for Jill Scott two months ago, I knew I was in for a fun shoot with the singer's headlining tour.

Checking in with the venue, I was informed that there would be a two-song limit. While this didn't sound like much, it ended up being plenty of time for Raheem, who presented more photo ops in two-songs than some performers do in an entire set.

The venue was filled seating for this performance, including the floor. As such, there was no barricade for this performance, but there was plenty of room to move around uninhibited at the front of the stage.

My favorite part of this performance came at the very end of the second song, when Raheem dropped to his knees while grasping the mic stand with two hands. I thought this was great, but the scene topped itself as Raheem laid out on his stomach, propped up by his elbows, a mere foot from the edge of the stage.

Lighting:

Two spotlights in the balcony provided the key lighting for Raheem, supplemented by a nice range of background lighting. While many other R&B/Neo-Soul performers at the Pageant received a similar spotlight treatment, Raheem's overall lighting effects were by far the most lush, with plenty of interesting background treatments.

Lenses & Gear:

I shot with the Nikon D3 using the Nikon 24-70mm and Nikon 70-200mm. The 24-70mm stayed on the camera for much of the set, providing the perfect range of focal lengths with which to capture Raheem's activity on stage.

Exposure & Metering:

I shot this set around f/2.8, 1/500, and ISO 1600. As always, due to the spotlights the Pageant uses, exact exposure with them is challenging, since the light sources flicker in intensity in addition to tint.

End Notes:

As I have now come to expect, Raheem put on a killer show full of great photo opportunities, always eager to put on a show for the camera. Throughout the set, the energetic singer worked the audience and engaged them with every chance he had – the mark of a true entertainer.

My Camera DSLR and Lenses for Concert Photography

Nikon D850: I use two Nikon D850 for my live music photography. A true do-it-all DSLR with amazing AF, fast response, and no shortage of resolution.

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8 Responses

Thanks, Bryan! The moment I saw Raheem dropping to the floor, I knew I had to act quickly, and I got in close. Luckily I had the 24-70mm on the D3, and 24mm was wide enough to present a nice perspective.

WOO! 2, 4, 6, and 8 after the jump = my picks. I think 2 is different from the rest of the photos and shows a different side of him — can’t really say why I like it. 4, well — you know the rule! Wish we could see his face more, but other than that love his pose. I love the emotion in his face in 6, and it has a nice subtle back light. And 8, I almost thought you used a flash on, but the light really separates him from the background and liked that aspect. 7 is pretty cool because he is looking directly at you with a, “Yo, what’s up man?” expression, haha.

And, of course, 12 or 14 = portfolio pick?! Yeahhh. THIS is what I like to see when I shoot a show — when the artist just gives himself to the music and puts on a *show*. Nice!

Hey Chris, thanks for your picks for this set. As always, it’s interesting to hear your choices and reasons behind the selections.

You’ve picked a lot of my favorites from this set.

On 12, I thought I had it pretty good when he was dropping to his knees.

Little did I know that Raheem was going to top himself and go stomach-down on the stage!

I got in as close as I thought appropriate, only restrained by the thought of the audience, who were mostly seated. I could have gotten even more in his face (this is at 24mm), but I didn’t want to block the audience’s view entirely.

That’s cool you respect the audience enough that you are conscious enough about them to not block their view — I’m always very hesitant to move around in a show because I don’t want to obstruct anyone’s view or make anyone angry — but eventually I find myself moving to at least get the shots I need.

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